An extinction level comet has just been spotted

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On August 30th, amateur astronomer Gennady Borisov discovered a comet beyond the orbit of Mars.

It presents no danger to Earth. It came most likely from interstellar space and to interstellar space it shall return.

Comet Borisov will make its closest approach to the sun (2 AU) around Dec. 7th. Three weeks later, near the end of December, it will make its closest approach to Earth (also 2 AU). Based on the comet's current magnitude (~18) and distance from the sun (2.7 AU), it appears to be a fairly large object — perhaps 10 km or more across, depending on the reflectivity of its surface. How bright it may become by December is anyone's guess. [The astronomical unit (AU) is roughly the distance from Earth to the Sun. Since 2012 it has been defined as exactly 149,597,870,700 metres, or about 150 million kilometres (93 million miles).]

Source: A POSSIBLE INTERSTELLAR COMET of 12 September 2019.

The only things left alive after it hits will be cockroaches and Keith Richards.

Lenny Bruce is not afraid.

And I feel fine!

If they say it presents no danger to Earth when it arrives on December 7th, I guess I'll just have to believe them. Better than believing whatever insanity the doomsayers will come up with.

But I guess that means I'll still have to do my Christmas shopping. Rats.

^ In case I'll just have to believe you. People on WP are usually more trustworthy, anyway.

Yes you can trust that cute face!

And he knows his stuff all right...

I think the comet's the one someone described as "Oumuamua's twin brother".

Just as long as there isn't another Hale-Bopp incident.

But Hale-Bopp didn't bump into us...

It made a dramatic sight in the night sky. We were camping in the mountains.

My former neighbor, and first boss, took some incredible photos of that comet against the rural landscape of northwestern Jefferson Parish, Louisiana. I have a large print he made of the Hale Bopp comet photo, amazingly visible with just a telephoto lens. Been meaning to frame it and hang it.

The International Astronomical Union confirmed that the object formally known as C/2019 Q4 (Borisov) is indeed from another solar system, giving it the proper name of 21/Borisov on Tuesday. It is the second-ever object from beyond our solar system, following Ouamuamua’s discovery in October 2017.

21/Borisov was discovered on Aug. 30 by astronomer Gennady Borisov and, unlike its predecessor, Ouamuamua, will be observable for an extended period of time. It is likely a comet, given its short tail and "fuzzy" appearance, a description backed up by NASA JPL researcher Davide Farnocchia.

"The comet's current velocity is high, about 93,000 mph [150,000 kph], which is well above the typical velocities of objects orbiting the Sun at that distance," said Farnocchia in a statement posted to NASA's website on Sept. 12. "The high velocity indicates not only that the object likely originated from outside our solar system, but also that it will leave and head back to interstellar space."

Earlier this month, NASA JPL said 21/Borisov is approximately 260 million miles from the Sun and will reach its closest point, known as perihelion, on Dec. 8, 2019, when it gets within 190 million miles of the Sun.

Source: Mysterious, second interstellar object ever spotted is confirmed

So perhaps the real question is why within a short period of geological time has two of these objects suddenly appeared? Is it a trend? Has an event happened outside our solar system to propel these objects towards Earth? How many more might appear in the near future? Or is this just due to improvements in our detection systems?